KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center said "several" security officers are no longer working for its hospital or Covenant Health more than a month after 60-year-old Lisa Edwards' death.
Edwards went in for help at Fort Sanders on Feb. 4 and was discharged the next morning. After refusing to leave the hospital, security called the police. Edwards lost consciousness in the back of a police car, and she later died of a stroke under hospital care.
Police video of the incident went viral nationally, with people expressing dismay and anger for how Knoxville Police Department officers and Fort Sanders security treated the 60-year-old as she struggled to breathe and told them she had suffered a previous stroke.
***Note: The video may be disturbing to viewers.***
On Monday, April 4, Fort Sanders RMC announced several of the security officers involved were no longer working at the hospital or at any other Covenant Health Facility. The hospital said it was conducting an in-depth review of its hospital security procedures and policies.
The hospital said Edwards' medical care and her discharge were "clinically appropriate."
"While we cannot disclose specific findings, all investigations and reviews have confirmed that while Ms. Edwards was in our care, medical treatment and hospital discharge were clinically appropriate. These findings affirm our confidence in the dedicated doctors, nurses and staff who provide excellent care to hundreds of Fort Sanders Regional patients every day," it said. "In addition, we are implementing empathy training for security officers serving on behalf of Fort Sanders Regional Medical Center and Covenant Health. We remain committed to caring for each and every patient who enters our facilities and have the privilege of working with a dedicated medical team in support of our Knoxville community."
Edwards' family has retained an attorney, Devon M. Jacob, who's known for representing families in high-profile cases across the U.S.
"While Ms. Edwards was in the custody of the police department and hospital, they had a duty to protect her life," he said in a release in March. "Instead, the hospital kicked her out and police officers used their police power to tease and taunt her while deliberately denying her access to necessary emergency medical care. This caused her medical condition to rapidly decline and led to a medical emergency that resulted in her death."
Edwards' family previously said they were considering filing a lawsuit after Knox County District Attorney General Charme Allen said she wouldn't press charges in her death because she said nothing criminal happened.